Brandon Sun

New museum is designed by Arthur Erickson

To understand why staff at Regina’s RCMP museum are so excited by the prospect of a new building, one needs to look no further than the basement of the current facility. Row upon row of metal shelves hold tens of thousands of artifacts — uniforms, hats, boots, gun belts, even swords — all neatly preserved and protected under draped sheets of plastic, just waiting to be displayed. ‘‘We’re packed,’’ says museum director Bill Mackay, as he surveys the collection. ‘‘No more room at the inn.’’ There are some big changes in store for the RCMP museum over the next few years. It’s already one of the most well-known tourist attractions in Regina, drawing between 50,000 and 60,000 visitors annually. Construction crews are to break ground this fall on a new $29-million interpretive centre. ‘‘This is just going to be a wonderful facility. We are all very excited here at the museum,’’ Mackay says. ‘‘It’s going to be bigger, better and more interactive.’’ More space will be the most significant benefit of the new digs.